May 28, 2004

Mechanics in the Making.
A few weeks ago my car decided to give out on me. Apparently the fuel pump went out. We've been managing on one car ever since. When ever I need to run errands we take Cameron up to work and then go and pick him up. I'm very thankful our trusty Jeep Cherokee (15 yrs old) has always been there for us. We bought it about a week before we got married five years ago and have depended on it every since. At any rate it makes for a long and tedious day since Cameron's work is almost 30 minutes away. The boys always fall asleep in the car when we go to pick him up at five and then they can't go to sleep until 10pm. So I've been avoiding taking him to work as much as possible. Which means we are stranded at home. And the boys like it about as much as I do. In fact they've taken it upon themselves to fix our car. I can always find them crawling under the Rover with their toy tools poking and prying and making up toddler mechanic lingo. Edison has grease spots stained on his scalp, every real mechanic needs grease spots. This morning Everest had Edison tugging at the front of the car upon his command while he pushed with all his might on the back. I can see this is important to them, to get it up and running again. I must admit I didn't realize how much I missed my car until I sat inside it while the boys tried to hot wire it. We need our freedom back! Freedom to roam and explore the world. Freedom to go park hopping and to pet stores. We need our wheels back!

May 27, 2004

Our very first yard sale was a wash.Our neighborhood held it’s first annual garage sale last Saturday. We decided to put a few items out with a sign “FREE’. A couple pieces of furniture that we didn’t need or use anymore along with some baby parapheniala. Cameron was busy with Young Mens activities all morning and we were going to his soccer game that afternoon. Which takes up the entire afternoon. I had enough to take care of that morning and I didn’t want to have to worry about manning a yard sale and exchanging money…. So it was all free. I’d peek out every so often, mostly because Everest and Edison were out there playing. I was busily going about things inside when I realized it was quiet, much too quiet. Sure enough as I rounded the corner and got a glimpse of the front yard. There they were Everest and Edison hosing down everything that was put out for the yard sale. “Clean, all clean!” They exclaimed. Yes, it was definitely clean. Needless to say none of the baby things went, but the furniture didn’t last, luckily. And that was our very first attempt at a yard sale or should we say a yard wash?

Watering the produce and then some!Going to the store is becoming more and more of a challenge. It was much easier when they were all little enough to strap in and tie down to the carts. Now they are getting too big and have too much energy to sit the entire length of a trip to the grocery store. We were finishing up the trip and were in the produce section. Last stop before the check out stands. I’m looking at fruit when I look up to find Everest firmly gripping the water hose for the vegetables. As I’m leaping over towers of turnips and bounding over mounds of melons crying out “Everest, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! All in the dramatic slow motion effects of the big screen. It was too late. He had squeezed the trigger and soaked his little brother Edison. A mother and her teenage son were stopped dead in their tracks and slowly a smile crept over their faces and giggles slipped past their lips. I just smiled and shook my head as I scooped my three year old up and strapped him in and tied him down to the shopping cart. I didn’t have to say anything and he knew better than to protest, thankfully. As for Edison, he was not very pleased with being wet but we were headed straight for the check out stand, fruit or no fruit. I had never noticed the water hoses before. Most grocery stores have misters that come on automatically. I will never not notice them again.

American IdolsEvery so often Everest and Edison pick up a few bad habits that we. Especially from their cousin. This one is to sit and scream out demands such as I need a drink! Or bring me food! Usually my kids are very good at coming and asking. Not today. In fact Everest enlisted his little brother Edison into the act. And would instruct him..”now", as they both belted out in chorus…mmmmmmmmmooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmm.” A little whisper…”do it again….now (timing everything)… "mmmmmmoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmm". over and over until I got off the phone. I must admit it was quit amusing and even sounded like a little song. Maybe they’ll grow up to be American Idols. They’re my idols that’s for sure. Amazing little boys.